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Wyoming Homes owner David Valenti came to court Tuesday for a hearing on charges he ripped off two customers by not delivering modular homes to them.

But first, Plains Township police slapped him with a new set of near-identical charges. Some of his alleged victims were there to protest his business practices, as they’ve done in the past outside his company headquarters.

In the end, Valenti waived his right to a preliminary hearing on the past charges that had been scheduled before Magisterial District Judge Diana Malast. He was to face accusations he took down payments from two people for modular homes, but never delivered the homes and never repaid the money.

Malast arraigned Valenti, of Glenmaura Drive in Moosic, on the new theft charges and released him on $10,000 unsecured bail.

The charges come two weeks after Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane filed a civil action in Luzerne County Court accusing him of unfair trade practices and violations of the Consumer Protection Law. Kane is seeking “appropriate civil penalties” against Valenti, plus restitution to the alleged victims.

In a phone call after his arraignment, Valenti, 61, said he’s trying to keep his business afloat and pay everyone back.

A couple paid a $3,400 down payment in two installments directly to Valenti for a modular home. They signed a purchase agreement in December 2011 and Valenti wrote it would be delivered “ASAP,” contingent upon them securing financing. After the couple, Jon and Heather Dutko, struggled to obtain financing, they asked Valenti to refund the deposit.

“Valenti denied the request and did not pay any of the $3,400 to the victims,” Plains Township police wrote.

Valenti faced similar charges in June when Luzerne County detectives accused him of ripping off two customers in similar fashion. Valenti owes $11,300 to Margaret Scholz and $6,415 to Marita Zim, an 82-year-old flood victim who said Valenti promised her new home would arrive “as soon as possible” after she placed her down payment in November 2012, according to arrest papers. Both women said Valenti repeatedly gave excuses why their homes weren’t ready as months and months passed. They soon turned their attention to getting their money back and contacted law enforcement when they were unsuccessful, arrest papers said.

In June, detectives in Susquehanna County accused Valenti of similar crimes, charging him with two counts of theft.

Court records show he also was hit with writing bad checks multiple times this year, with three pending cases in Luzerne County and one case in Susquehanna County.

Valenti has been in the manufactured home business since he was 18 years old and has operated Wyoming Homes since he was 21, according to a profile written about him in 2011.

bkalinowski@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2055, @cvbobkal

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